Recently, a man and woman from San Bernardino County were arrested following a nine-count federal grand jury indictment accusing them of obtaining over $2.1 million in Covid-19 relief funds. The individuals, a 43-year-old woman from Rialto and a 53-year-old man, were taken into custody on Nov. 5.
The charges against them stem from allegedly submitting more than 120 fraudulent applications for unemployment insurance benefits. These applications were purportedly made using stolen identities from California state prisoners and individuals residing out of state. The accused falsely claimed that the victims were former California residents whose employment had been impacted by the pandemic, making them eligible for unemployment benefits under federal law.
According to prosecutors from the U.S. Department of Justice, the scheme ran from February 2020 to August 2023. The defendants are accused of using debit cards linked to the fraudulent claims to withdraw benefits from ATMs and make purchases at local establishments.
The couple faces charges including six counts of mail fraud, one count of using unauthorized access devices, and one count each of aggravated identity theft. If convicted, they could potentially receive a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each mail fraud count, up to 10 years for the unauthorized access device count, and a mandatory two-year consecutive prison term for the aggravated identity theft charge.
Currently, the defendants are out on bond awaiting their scheduled trial on December 30. The case serves as a reminder of the consequences individuals may face for engaging in fraudulent activities related to Covid-19 relief funds.
